Purchased a Hydropneumatic Compensator for 300.00 dollars and replaced my spring this morning. I took the chance with the hydro-comp that it might be a bad one but the seller gave a 14 day warranty, so I bought it. I've been tired of driving my car around with a positive camber and using weight to drop the back. Many advised that I replace the rubber spacers on each side of the coil with thinner ones or to use a softer spring but I think 300 bucks is a good deal and it actually works. Jacked up both sides of the car, slid underneath, and removed the lower shock mounting bolts on both sides. Jacked up the car some more until the brake lines were fully stretched. My mission was to not disconnect the brake lines due to the fact that I did not have enough brake fluid to refill and bleed. I took the chance and stretched them until I could see that there was tension on the brake line. I then loosened the left spring bracket mounting bolt and slowly removed the one to the right. The left mounting bolt was left on and used as a pivot for the bracket to drop down enough to then release tension on the spring. Well the bracket shot down fast when the right bolt was removed. It made me flinch but the tension was finally released and I proceeded to remove the spring and hardware. I finally got to see what the rubber spacers look like. The spring was also flat on both sides so when such spring is seated, it maintains its position. I quickly grabbed the Hydropneumatic compensator and positioned it by first inserting the left side thru an opening located on the left when looking from behind the car. I then aligned the hydro-comp bracket to the axle holes and inserted the allen bolts. I was careful and patient not to strip the threads. It took some maneuvering to properly align but I finally got one bolt thru and then quickly crawled out from underneath to drop the car a few more inches. That seemed to work because dropping the car allowed the hydrop-comp to become more horizontal which then enabled the bracket and axle holes to align. I finally got the right bolt in and I then tightened both including the lonely bolt that sits on the other end(boot end). I secured both shocks back into place and then lowered the car some more. I then positioned the hydro-comp boot with its clamp and dropped the car...At first I was freaked out to see major positive camber but after backing the car out of the garage i saw that the car dropped down some more and is sitting perfectly now...the next time my hydro-comp fails me again I will then be replacing my suspension with Air suspension all the way around...

Fantastic read.... First off , $300.00 for a hydro , I'm assumming 'good' used , is a good deal . If new , well then you hit the lottery. You have the height you always wanted now . Congratulations......

I've had a similar problem and I have just had the rubber pads on the compensating spring removed. It has greatly reduced the positive camber. I plan to have the coil springs next to the rear wheels looked at to see if I cant solve this problem. By the way, I have the Boge compensator, it wasn't fitted when I bought the car. Don't know why, just feel better with the spring set up.

Fantastic read.... First off , $300.00 for a hydro , I'm assumming 'good' used , is a good deal . If new , well then you hit the lottery. You have the height you always wanted now . Congratulations......

Thanks. It is a used compensator. Also wanted to thank drew56crew and the rest that participated on the hydro-comp thread..

I've had a similar problem and I have just had the rubber pads on the compensating spring removed. It has greatly reduced the positive camber. I plan to have the coil springs next to the rear wheels looked at to see if I cant solve this problem. By the way, I have the Boge compensator, it wasn't fitted when I bought the car. Don't know why, just feel better with the spring set up.

Does the hydropneumatic compensator work and did it come with the 2 long allen bolts? You will need to switch from the short compensating spring bracket bolts to the longer hydropneumatic Boge bolts. You should install it. You will then find out if your hydro-Boge works. If you can push down on the Boge piston then I can assure you that it does NOT work. I tried pushing the piston down with all my weight and the sucker would not push in. Takes a lot of weight to get movement. I have a second damaged Boge where you can push in and pull out the piston without much resistance...DOES NOT WORK

you are doing it the hard way , the spring you had in place was a heavy duty spring [ after market ] i would have bought the right one from MB , that would have fixed your camber problem .going with air suspension is nut . this used compensator is not going to last . the other easier fix would have to put heat [ torche ] on the existing spring to shrink it some .just on one coil .this work .but it is too easy .

Agillot I do not understand your logic. You criticise someone for using a correct part (even though the hydro-comp unit will fail in the future at some point, like all parts), criticise a desire to go to air suspension in the future (why?), say he should have bought the correct spring (that is ok) but then you advocate doing a dodgy spring heating exercise to someone that does not seem to have a lot of experience. To me, those opinions seem all over the place. A simple "Good, I am happy it has worked out for now" would have sufficed.

Be happy for the guy that he has found a solution and it has worked for him. Though I would have preferred X-man did not rely on brake lines to resist the main spring force! Did you not have a jack to put under the right hand spring bracket?
I removed my comp spring last weekend and my car still sits too high, so I have to swap the main springs out too. Not too hard, but not a 5 minute job like the compensator spring is. I am going to save my air suspension dreams for my coupe.
Cheers,
Drew

Though I would have preferred X-man did not rely on brake lines to resist the main spring force! Did you not have a jack to put under the right hand spring bracket?
I removed my comp spring last weekend and my car still sits too high, so I have to swap the main springs out too. Not too hard, but not a 5 minute job like the compensator spring is. I am going to save my air suspension dreams for my coupe.
Cheers,
Drew

No, I could not position a jack under the bracket due to my exhaust running directly under the bracket. I found it strange and checked to make sure that the exhaust pipes were not aftermarket but everything including the hook and hangers were exactly where they belong. I will be checking the brake lines for leaks in the next coming days and weeks. I think they will be ok. So your car sits to high for your taste or do you also have positive camber? Are you driving without a comp spring?

Does the hydropneumatic compensator work and did it come with the 2 long allen bolts? You will need to switch from the short compensating spring bracket bolts to the longer hydropneumatic Boge bolts. You should install it. You will then find out if your hydro-Boge works. If you can push down on the Boge piston then I can assure you that it does NOT work. I tried pushing the piston down with all my weight and the sucker would not push in. Takes a lot of weight to get movement. I have a second damaged Boge where you can push in and pull out the piston without much resistance...DOES NOT WORK

Not sure if the compensator works, I noticed traces of oil on it. Yes it did come with the allen bolts. I had read here and elsewhere that they don't last very long. I will test it like you said though.

I still have a bit of positive camber, even with no horizontal spring at all. It still seems to drive ok, but I will swap out the vertical springs from the 190D also.
But yes, I would like it lower, and with a slight nose-down stance.